Chapter 17 | The DragonHeart City Ryuken Part 1

Arc 1 | A Detectives End

Phase 1 | The 13th Star Etched In History

[???]: "Theresia-sensei\, last night was quite a storm\, wasn't it?"

[Theresia]: "Sure was Gilbert; maybe I should've been with the others sooner..."

[Gilbert]: "If you're worried about the cindertaur rumor\, then it's a good thing Princess Luna is there; she's strong."

[Theresia]: Gilbert\, what did we talk about calling her 'princess'? We swore to secrecy about her real identity\, at least until we've dealt with the 'royal murder case\, that is. Many royalties have been murdered\, and some disappeared out of nowhere without a hint of any traces; this is affecting a lot of communities as well as the authorities."

[Gilbert]: "That is true. That case is still unsolved. Many royals had to rid themselves of their prestigious titles and go into hiding\, even changing their names! Who would do such a thing? This is unforgivable! It's a grave violation of trust and a threat to the stability of monarchies worldwide. The fear and uncertainty surrounding these murders have created a sense of unease among both the common people and those in power.

[Theresia]: "Investigators think it's an attempt to corrupt the system before any new royal elections. Anyway\, we're here now; be nice to everyone\, Gilbert\, and try not to give Luna special treatment because she's royal."

[Gilbert]: "As your advisor\, I adhere to your requests\, Theresia-sensei. But if you had taken me to this mansion sooner\, I could have teleported us instantly."

[Theresia]: "You do have a point\, but to be honest\, I almost forgot this mansion existed...but it has a nice garden and it's massive indoors!"

[Gilbert]: "It looks..."

[Theresia]: "Something's wrong\, Gilbert."

Theresia noticed that certain parts of her mansion were demolished; the front porch was left stung by lightning, the windows were shattered, and it looked like something had smashed its face on the walls. Theresia unsheathed a long sword at her hilt next to her legendary Dragon Sword and charged forward even closer to her mansion.

[Gilbert]: "It looks like your mansion has suffered some serious damage\, Theresia. This doesn't seem like a mere accident or natural disaster." [Theresia]: "You're right\, Gilbert. The destruction seems intentional and targeted. I can't help but feel a sense of danger lurking within."

"Third Eye", using one of her abilities that can detect and judge how powerful and how many lifeforms it sees, changed her irises from her natural sky blue eyes to emerald green. Only six lifeforms are inside; it must be Tsubasa, Luna, Daphne, and the YoRoKo sisters. She closed her eyes and then reopened them back to their original form, disabling her 'third eye'. Ah, sorry, Gilbert looks like everything's fine". "Your mansion is not in any condition to live in, however." Gilbert pointed to the broken walls, which were noticeable from a mile away; any passerby would see them as an old ruin or a battlefield. "What happened here? Theresia approached the front door and attempted to open it. Ah, I forgot the keys. Let's try knocking. Knock. The entire door slammed down with just a single touch from Theresia's knuckles.

[Theresia]: "Oh my."

[Gilbert]: "Not again."

Theresia and Gilbert entered the mansion hastily. The interior of the mansion was just as dilapidated as the exterior. Dust covered every surface, and cobwebs hung from the ceiling. The air was musty and filled with a sense of abandonment. "Hello! Anyone here!" No response. Gilbert, see if anything is lying around; I'll join the others". Gilbert, a rather short man, nodded to his master and marched over the complex to find anything as to why the mansion was left in such a crushed state. As the morning sun cast its golden rays through the windows of the grand Astrea Mansion, a sense of tranquility enveloped the main room where Ko, Ro, Yo, Tsubasa, Luna, and Daphne lay asleep on the floor, their bodies nestled together in peaceful slumber, other than the fact that Daphne's feet were on Tsubasa's face. The previous night's tensions had melted away, replaced by a newfound sense of camaraderie. As the gentle warmth of the sun touched her face, Tsubasa slowly stirred, opening her eyes to the sight of the cobblestone street thief's feet on her face as she snorted nonchalantly. "I'll remind myself to teach this runt some proper manners!" Tsubasa thought to herself, her irritation momentarily overshadowed by the overall tranquility of the moment. She carefully moved Daphne's feet off her face and decided to address the issue later, not wanting to disturb the peaceful atmosphere that had settled among them. Meanwhile, her sisters and her newfound friends are all sleeping peacefully around her. A soft smile spread across her lips as she realized the significance of this moment—a testament to the bond they had forged through a perilous, thundering battle. Tsubasa sat up, careful not to disturb the others, and relished the serenity of the morning. The sun had just begun to rise, casting a warm golden glow over the landscape. Tsubasa took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp morning air, and felt a renewed sense of gratitude for the camaraderie they had formed. As she watched the peaceful slumber of her companions, she couldn't help but feel hopeful for the adventures that lay ahead. The tranquility was soon interrupted by a sudden knock on the mansion's front door. Everyone's eyes shot open in surprise, wondering who could be visiting so early in the day. Curious and cautious, Ko, Ro, and Yo exchanged glances before rising to their feet, followed closely by Tsubasa, Luna, and Daphne. They made their way to the front door of the main room, where Ko carefully opened it to reveal Theresia, a wise and kind swordswoman. Theresia's presence brought a sense of relief to the group, as they knew she possessed valuable knowledge and skills. Her arrival hinted at the possibility of guidance and protection in their upcoming adventures. The group eagerly welcomed her inside, ready to hear what she had to say; in Tsubasa's case, it was more about her and Daphne's run-in with the Demon Worshippers. Theresia was known for her status as the current Sword Saint alongside her master, 'Malica Van Astrea'. Theresia's reputation as the current Sword Saint preceded her, and her mastery of the blade was renowned throughout the seven continents. Many warriors sought her guidance and training, hoping to learn from the best. As she entered the room, her confident aura filled the air, instantly commanding respect from all those present. The Uakren continent's greatest weapons

Crap, Theresia's here! Due to the cindertaur rampage, her mansions were left in an uninhabitable state. I hadn't thought about the consequences should the mansion be eviscerated in the process. There was no way I could predict the cindertaur's behavior as well as the once-raging weather that engulfed the forest in despair and desolation. But the damage inflicted on the mansion is a small price to pay for everyone's safety, right? Tsubasa was profusely fidgeting with her fingers at the thought of what the owner of her proclaimed mansion would do to the one who couldn't protect it. Surely she will understand the severity of the situation once we explain what happened. U-um, Theresia, it is good to see and all, but about the mansion..." Tsubasa couldn't help but murmur between her lines. The mansion was too big to handle.

"Good morning, young ones; sorry for the ruckus about the door." Theresia greeted them with a warm smile. "And Tsubasa, you don't need to worry about the mansion; it seems you all endured a heavy battle and triumphed. As long as you all are safe, then I'm content with the way things are. Besides, I have a dozen more mansions, so it's not a huge issue for me." Tsubasa felt a sense of relief after hearing Theresia's words. She realized that the mansion's size was not a burden for Theresia after all. As they continued their conversation, Tsubasa couldn't help but feel grateful for Theresia's understanding and generosity. Theresia gently patted Tsubasa's head. She was prepared to take the fall for it if it came down to who held the most responsibility among everyone last night. Tsubasa couldn't even face Theresia, but knowing that she did the best she could in the given situation made her relieved. Successfully vanquishing the cindertaurs, using her aptitude when it mattered—some of them may have been injured, but at least they could live to see the next day—and consoling and gaining Ko's trust alongside her sisters was another achievement in three hours that felt like a nightmare. The fight had lasted until midnight, and all the tension from then on had ceased. Everyone was gazing at the angelic figure, and despite how everything went down last night, her angelic voice soothed their souls with each word like its own melody of comfort. But before anyone could say anything, their stomachs rumbled explosively. "Oh my, hungry?" Everyone nodded feverishly. They had been so engrossed in the intense battle and subsequent relief that they had forgotten about their basic needs. The sound of their rumbling stomachs broke the spell, reminding them of their hunger. They couldn't help but laugh at the timing, realizing that even in the midst of chaos, human needs still prevailed. "In that case, I'll cook then; YoRoKo, you don't need to trouble yourselves; I can tell that something took a toll on you three, breakfasts on me!"

[YoRoKo]: "Yes maam."

[Tsubasa]: "YoRoKo? Are you referring to the maid sisters\, Theresia?"

[Theresia]: "That's what I nicknamed them. One time they were arguing over a last slice of cake\, and I had to try to break them up for it. They wouldn't listen to me\, so I tried repeatedly saying their names so fast that it sounded like I was saying 'yoroko'."

Tsubasa stared at the three sisters; they looked away shyly in unison, embarrassed that they were fighting over a piece of cake. Tsubasa sighed and shook her head, realizing how trivial their argument was. She decided to change the subject and asked

[Tsubasa]: "Can you cook\, Theresia?"

[Theresia]: "Sure can; how about stew?"

[Tsubasa]: "Anything is fine\, but I thought you were all about swords."

[Theresia]: "And I didn't know you liked gambling\, Tsubasa?"

[Tsubasa]: "H-HOW-" Tsubasa stuttered\, caught off guard by Theresia's unexpected remark about gambling.

[Theresia]: "Carol told me."

[Tsubasa]: "That woman-"

[Tsubasa]: "She never knows when to keep her mouth shut." Tsubasa's frustration with Carol's loose lips was evident in her tone. She couldn't believe that her secret love for gambling had been exposed so easily.

Tsubasa tried standing up and fixing herself. Her hair was all messy, and her body was still fatigued. Tsubasa had quite a unique reincarnation experience. The norm in most literature or depictions was for a man to get hit by a truck only to awaken his eyes in front of a goddess that grants him a special ability, then send him down to a new fantasy world where he is tasked with defeating some sort of devil and ridding evil alongside his new allies in his guild. It should have been a straightforward life for most Isekai. Tsubasa was different. She had been teleported to another world in an unknown way; she was never greeted by some 'goddess, and there was certainly no time for her to settle down and make a guild. Upon her first arrival, she had been attacked out of nowhere, and shortly after, she was saved by a girl she had no connection with. It was all so confusing for Tsubasa, but she'll try to get by one step at a time. But before she could stand upright, she felt something warm tugging at her back. A few strands of silver hair were blissfully flowing over Tsubasa's shoulders from the winds blowing in and out of the mansions due to the shattered windows. "U-um Luna! You are holding me rather tightly, I suppose!" The one who was tugging her was Luna; not a word came out of her mouth as she continued to hold Tsubasa in between her arms that were wrapped around her abdominals. Tsubasa could feel Luna's gentle embrace providing a sense of comfort amidst the chaos. As Luna held her, Tsubasa couldn't help but wonder what had caused such a strong reaction from her friend. Tsubasa didn't know what to make of it at first. She was left with a perplexed impression: Luna was the one who saved Tsubasa in the first place. If it hadn't been for her, she would certainly have been killed by Ryuosuke. She was very grateful that she was there at the moment, but what exactly was their relationship? Tsubasa never once questioned Luna as to why she saved her in the first place; did it have anything to do with the fact that the enemy was a Demon Worshipper? Or did Luna simply save her out of the goodness of her heart? Ever since then, the two of them have spent a bit of quality time together. Maybe Tsubasa was overthinking things again, but then again, she never did have that many friends in her previous life. Tsubasa could have just shrugged Luna off and demanded a proper explanation—at least the old Tsubasa would—but instead she embraced Luna's warmth out of care and sat back down to lean on her. "I guess I should spoil you a bit more, I suppose; this is the second time you saved me, and I'm grateful to you, Luna." Tsubasa's heart swelled with gratitude as she reflected on Luna's unwavering support. It was a rare feeling for her to have someone who genuinely cared about her well-being. At that moment, Tsubasa made a silent promise to herself to cherish their friendship and reciprocate the kindness Luna had shown her. She turned her head around with her body tilted towards Luna's and hugged her back. "I'm glad I could keep you safe again, Tsu". She said her first words of the morning. She was so happy that both her eyes were shut tightly. ' Luna means flower, purity, love, and, of course, the moon. Her characteristics suit that name so well, which is what Tsubasa thought. She was the very personification of the moon; she also felt mysterious in many shades. Just like the moon. Tsubasa admired Luna's ethereal beauty and the way she radiated calming energy, just like the moonlight. Meanwhile, Daphne's snoring ruined the mom's Tranquillyna's warmth was even more prominent. Tsubasa couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance towards Daphne's disruptive snoring, which contrasted sharply with Luna's serene presence. Despite the interruption, Luna's soothing aura continued to fill the room, creating a peaceful atmosphere that Tsubasa cherished. They both stayed like this for a few moments until breakfast was ready.

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